Do you take 3 days a week to train your arms? Or do you put your arm training into one concentrated session to complete? Training can sometimes be lost, and even if you work hard you don't always achieve the desired results.
Always stepping on the toes, training harder will only be in vain to get your arms fully stimulated, what exactly is arm training neglecting?
challenge your muscles
challenge your muscles to grow by.
Increasing the weight to complete more reps doing more frequent sets reducing rest time between sets
if you are already training your arms three times a week, there is no point in increasing the volume of training. What can be done is to complete fewer reps with a larger weight or more reps with a lighter weight. Shorten the rest period between sets to help the body metabolise more efficiently.
After about 12 repetitions in perfect form, increase the weight. And try more advanced strength training techniques such as supersets, pyramid sets, giant sets, decreasing sets and half sets. In the meantime, take a look at these common arm training problems that affect progress.
1. Using the same training volume for biceps and triceps
a common training mistake is to train the same amount of volume for both biceps and triceps. The latter requires more training; it has three muscle bundles and makes up the majority of the upper arm. The biceps is smaller, with only two muscle bundles. In triceps training, the number of sets is four extra sets compared to biceps; while biceps complete six to eight sets.
2. Neglecting the triceps
the triceps usually receive less attention than the biceps. If strengthening the arms, train the triceps once or twice a week. Use a variety of variations to stimulate this part of the muscle from different angles.
Movements include the following.
Narrow bench press supine barbell arm curl overhead dumbbell arm flexion overhead curl bar arm flexion single arm dumbbell arm flexion rope overhead arm flexion rope pull down
studies have found that a lower incline bench or flat bench for narrow bench press will activate the long head of the triceps more than an upper incline bench. Alternatively, flat bench arm curls, can be done at home at any time.
Get the best out of your workout by performing large weights for the first two sets of each movement and reducing the load on the next movements while increasing the reps. Ideally, try to squeeze the muscles harder during the movements with maximum weight; get a partner to help with the movements if necessary.
3. Not focusing on muscle contraction
many guys rush through all their workouts, especially when it comes to training their biceps. Lift the deadlift in a slow, controlled manner. Flex the arms or peak the contraction for a few seconds. If the movement is too fast, the anterior deltoid and back muscles may be engaged more than the biceps.
4. Neglecting compound movements
isolation movements are the best choice for people who want to get bigger arms. Dumbbell arm curls, hammer curls, rope curls and supine barbell arm curls are just a few of the movements.
These movements allow one to focus on specific muscles while allowing other muscles to rest. If performed correctly, the movements can help prevent and repair muscle imbalances and recover from injuries. Studies have shown that isolation movements are just as effective as compound movements.
compared to experienced enthusiasts, those who are new to exercise will find it easy to gain muscle mass and strength, regardless of movement choice. However, other studies have shown that compound exercises are more effective in improving muscle strength and maximal oxygen consumption.
Multi-joint (compound) movements absorb more muscle fibres and produce greater mechanical tension than isolated movements, and they also indirectly stimulate biceps, triceps and other smaller muscles to build overall size and strength. For example, the bench press works the pectoral muscles, but it also works the triceps and anterior deltoids.
in addition, these movements allow you to lift greater weights than isolation movements. The result of this is that they increase muscle strength and trigger the release of anabolic hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. Isolation movements can give you an insane pumping sensation and improve muscle tone, but are not the best choice for building muscle. Therefore, arm training should include both isolation and compound movements.
5. Using incorrect movement form
fitness enthusiasts emphasise the use of correct movement form, and for good reason. Common mistakes such as opening the elbows during triceps training and swinging the arms during biceps training hinder progress. Let go of your ego and don't sacrifice quality for quantity. Learn how to perform each movement correctly and gradually increase the load.
how to get bigger arms in less time
firstly, plan your training adequately. Determine how much time you can spend on arm training, what movements to perform and how many reps and sets to do for each muscle group.
Also, decide whether you want to work your biceps and triceps on the same day or combine them with larger muscle groups. For example, back and biceps or shoulders and triceps are popular pairings.
if the goal is to gain a thicker arm circumference, it is best to go all in on the biceps and triceps. This will give you enough energy and strength to burn these muscles to the best of your ability. Start with two arm workouts per week, alternating between heavy weight training days and smaller weight training days.
For example, you can increase the volume on mondays and combine it with rest-pause sets, supersets and decreases on fridays. As a rule of thumb, lift the deadlift quickly, pause at the highest point of the exercise and perform the centrifugal phase with slow, controlled movements. Stretch your biceps and triceps after each workout to relax and stretch the fascia, a layer of fibrous tissue that surrounds your muscles.
try more advanced fitness techniques
whether you want to get a better performance or break through a bottleneck, there are several techniques to achieve your training goals. Supersets, decreases, giant sets, and other fitness techniques. These methods can take training to a whole new level and accelerate progress.
Using supersets in your training
supersets consist of two or more movements, one after the other, with little or no rest in between; depending on the goal, you can form supersets with both active and antagonistic muscle groups.
if used correctly, this training method can promote muscle growth and help you get better results in less time. For example, you can do three sets of priest bench curls followed by three sets of seated triceps arm curls. This will target both biceps and triceps in a more effective way.
These supersets are equally effective.
Tricep dips (3 sets) and rope hammer curls (3 sets)
triceps arm curls (5 sets) and reverse grip pull-ups (5 sets)
upper incline curl bar arm curl (3 sets) and upper incline dumbbell curl (3 sets)
studies have found that supersets and triple sets make training more efficient and reduce training time. A triple set is three consecutive movements with no rest in between. These workouts put stress on the body and the central nervous system. Therefore, more rest may be needed to prevent fatigue so that training can be resumed.
Note that supersets are more likely to cause neuromuscular fatigue than other advanced strength training techniques. In addition to supersets, try forced movements, centrifugal movements, half-range movements, giant sets, decremental sets, etc.
using decrescendo sets in your training
perform at least three consecutive sets of decreasing sets with no rest in between. When using decreases, decrease the weight for each set.
Assume that you normally do 12 barbell curls with a weight of 20kg lbs. When you can no longer continue, reduce the weight by 10% and do a few more reps. Reduce the weight again and continue with the exercise until exhaustion.
this technique should not be used for every movement in your workout routine. If you do this, you may end up overtraining or getting injured.
know how to get bigger arms and keep tweaking your training! Having trouble building muscle, then start burning muscle and growing it fully.
